Lensers tap 11 to salute at 75th anni

Storaro, Hall, Wexler among those receiving kudos

HOLLYWOOD — The Intl. Cinematographers Guild has selected 11 of its brethren as the most influential cinematographers in the history of filmmaking.

Billy Bitzer, Jordan Cronenweth, Conrad L. Hall, James Wong Howe, Sven Nykvist, Vittorio Storaro, Gregg Toland, Haskell Wexler, Gordon Willis, Freddie Young and Vilmos Zsigmond made the list, which was designed to be limited to 10 but was expanded to 11 because of a tie.

The list was compiled in a survey of ICG members regarding who should be recognized on a wall of fame at the guild’s new headquarters at 7755 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. The opening of the HQ will take place Nov. 8 in conjunction with a celebration of the guild’s 75th anniversary.

More than 300 cinematographers received votes. The ICG noted that Bitzer, Howe, Toland and Young were in the first and second generation of cinematographers while Cronenweth, Hall, Nykvist, Storaro, Wexler, Willis, and Zsigmond were in the front ranks of a new wave of filmmakers who transformed the art form beginning in the 1950s.

ICG exec director Bruce Doering said, “Our purpose is to say thanks and to pay tribute to those who were chosen, and also to use this platform to draw attention to the largely unrecognized role that cinematographers have played and will continue to play in the future.”